January 2008
25 posts
A doing less President →
This is, despite the fact he didn’t get almost any questions nor the time to answer them, the best debate for Ron Paul. He used his time wisely staying focus on his message. And I was specifically happy with this answer.
I’m surely going to try helping keeping this message in the campaign - as a precinct leader and by small donation this Friday.
That sums it →
I don’t like Pat Buchanan generally, but his take on McCain’s platform is as sharp as its get. Not that the other frontrunner in the GOP race is any better…
From here and from there - 11 →
Today’s links have no connecting theme aside from the fact that I found them worth reading, or watching.
The first link is to a debate about religious, atheism and moral. The debate was between Dinesh D’Souza, which I’m developing great dislike to, and Michael Shermer:
In this debate on what are arguably two of the most important questions in the culture wars today — Is Religion a Force for...
Cause and effect →
During every election season, and the current one is no exception, many candidates promising to “fix” washington and bring new kind of politic - an bipartisan administration that deal with the problems and not with narrow political interests. They promising to heal the nation from the devision inflicted by past administrations and to calm the social conflicts. Yet, they all fail to achieve this...
Change? →
Is it really?
It is not the same without him →
I’ll miss Dennis and I think that the Presidential campaign is lacking without him. Although I disagree with big portion of his agenda I’ll always remember fondly his answer for why he voted against the Patriot Act: “Because I read it!”.
See what I found →
Browsing through my feeds today I got to find out about this song, which I liked. Browsing around I discover that this wonderful young singer already has two records. I’m listening to the earlier one - Hymns for Exiled - and I simply loving it. I am usually not writing about music, but finding and listening to Anais Mitchell today was such a great experience that I felt I ought tell others about...
The fruits of spread democracy →
We should really be proud about the results of our “Nation Building” and “Spreading Democracy” into Afghanistan. Thank to us the Afghans now enjoy freedom of speech - they have the freedom to say whatever they want and the government in return:
I’ve already reported on the plight of Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, the Afghan student accused of “mocking Islam and the Quran”. Up until now,...
Farewell Fred →
Fred Thompson’s dropping from the Presidential race was expected and unfortunate. It is unfortunate that the kind of conservatism - the type that brought Reagan to the White House and the GOP to win the majority doesn’t have enough appeal in the GOP. It will be more unfortunate if Thompson’s dropping will help to solidified a frontrunner next week. I am looking, with a lot of hope, for a brokered...
Bad times →
My office is located on Wall Street. I like coming to work early and leave early - so I have more quality time with my family, so I am usually in the office at 6:30 AM.I like walking from the train station early in the morning, watching the city wake up, the streets aren’t yet full of people running and rushing. But today the feeling was completely different. Wall Street was full of cameras and...
Open to all →
The NY Times reports that the Atlantic removes the paid subscription requirements to access its site. I’m an old fashion type of person and like, even prefer, reading the paper version of the magazine - so I’ll keep my subscription. However if you didn’t enjoy the wealth of high quality content of the Atlantic because it was behind the paying subscription wall I recommend visiting the, now open to...
The voting process - not what you were thinking. →
“It is not how votes that counts, It’s who counts the votes” Joseph Stalin
I recommend taking the time and watching this disturbing HBO documentary about the voting process in the US.
Reporting Standards →
I really don’t know how to explain the poor reporting standards by the New York Times.
When the Faux news decides to omit a candidate, although he is doing better than the one they promote it is understandable. After all nobody really consider Faux news to be a news organization so when they clumsily “forget” to mention one candidate on the top screen, when on the bottom they reports his...
It is really that simple →
It is sad that people still need to explain that Freedom of Speech cannot be limited in order to prevent someone from being offended. It is preposterous that the attack on one of the most fundamentals of our human rights is being carried by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. It make sense only in a world “Slavery in Freedom” and “War is Peace”.
Well argued Ezra!
From here and from there - 10 →
When the NY Times publish an an article like this it has to be a good day:
Bullying and protectionism have a lot in common. They both use force (either directly or through the power of the law) to enrich someone else at your involuntary expense. If you’re forced to pay $20 an hour to an American for goods you could have bought from a Mexican for $5 an hour, you’re being extorted. When a free...
Good argument →
This is a very persuasive argument why should GOP voters in the Michigan’s primaries should vote for Romney…
And if this isn’t enough, let me remind you his intellectual superiority.
Open letter to Dr. Ron Paul →
Dear Dr. Paul,
The last few days left us confused, disappointed and deeply embarrassed. Writing this letter, which I will also publish on my blog, is painful. But the events of the last few days, and the lack of proper response from you are making it necessary.
For many months now we were following your campaign with hope and enthusiasm. Finally, after many years of increasing dissatisfaction...
From here and from there - 9 →
Through Maggie’s Farm I found this very interesting essay (PDF) about the origin of the US involvement in the Middle East. It isn’t short, but it is very good reading. And anyway an essay that state the following, can’t be really bad:
“When it comes to making sense of recent history, the American people, encouraged by their political leaders, have shown a demonstrable preference for clarity...
Call to arms →
You could see them in every street corner in downtown Manchester and Concord. They put aside their duties and drafted themselves to Clinton’s campaign. They didn’t care about Clinton Ideology, nor her experience, they came to help because they are sick and tiered of being second class citizens. I saw them attending the rally before the ABC debate, they came with full buses in the cold night...
NH stories →
It took me some time to point my finger on it but yesterday I finally realized what I liked so much in New Hampshire - the people here are extremely nice. We were targeting yesterday independent undecided voters, trying to make them attend the televised town hall meeting with Ron Paul. These people are the hottest “commodity” in the NH primaries and we were not the only campaign knocking on their...
Observations →
Among other thing we went to the rally yesterday. We found out in the morning in the volunteers HQ that while the candidates will hold a televised debate their supporter will rally, so we decided to participate.
I still remember he bruises from the encounters during political rallies in Israel in early 80’s, when a heated election and political differences meant also the use of some violence....
Can we repeal it now? →
One quick note before I’m out of the office.
Huckabee victory in Iowa was not thank to large budget, One thing his campaign was lacking is money. Thompson and McCain running a pretty tied budget campaigns and despite this had very nice results yesterday. Can we finally agree that the premiss behind the McCain-Feingold Campaign reform is false?
Quick note →
I’m writing this quick post while trying to finish as many things at work before taking off to New Hampshire.
Yesterday’s results, which were somewhat disappointing, making the need for strong performance in New Hampshire much more vital. I didn’t think before, and I’m surely don’t think now, that Ron Paul had a real chance to win the nomination. However it is important to stay in the race, to...
Exciting →
Beyond my typical cynicism, and the healthy mistrust in political campaigns that I developed over the years, I have to admit that I am very excited about the Ron Paul’s campaign. My wife call it obsession but it is much more than that. I would have followed the political process, and the coming elections, with great interest regardless of the list of candidates - but Ron Paul candidacy makes me...
The proper response →
Fox news’ decision to not include Ron Paul in its upcoming round table debate is, no doubt, a clear indicator of the low standards of news reporting. The “fair and balance” network’s decision to exclude Ron Paul, despite the NH GOP position that he should be included, and despite the fact that his polls numbers in IW and NH are higher than some of the candidates that are going to participate in...